The explosive growth in the number of people suffering from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in recent years has made health care workers increasingly concerned about the risk of acquiring HIV and other blood contaminating infections, such as hepatitis, while performing their health care tasks.
For example, surgeons have a high risk of blood contamination when handling a suture needle used to suture an incision or repair an organ. Studies have shown that surgeons sustain scores of needle sticks per year while handling suture needles. To reduce this risk, some surgeons currently transfer the suture needle from the needle driver (used to drive the needle through the skin or organ being repaired) to another instrument, such as suture forceps, to avoid directly handling the needle.
Surgeons also sometimes require use of both hands and need to conveniently and safely keep the needle temporarily out of the way. In this situation, the surgeon typically releases the needle and leaves it surgeon typically releases the needle and leaves it dangling nearby to perform the task with his hands free. During this process, however, the surgeon may accidentally prick himself or herself with the needle with the dangling needle. Pricking also occasionally occurs when the surgeon is attempting to re-grasp the needle after performing the two handed task. In view of the foregoing, a need exists for a device that a surgeon can wear which enables the surgeon to conveniently hold a suture needle in a safe and accessible out of the way place when the surgeon needs or desires to have both hands free while performing a task.
It would be desirable if such a device could be worn on the surgeon's hand. It would further be desirable if a needle could easily be placed on, held by, and removed from the device. This would allow the surgeon to freely use one or both of his hands with the needle safely and conveniently out of the way until the surgeon needed to re-grasp the needle. It would be even more desirable if the device had a protective shield for shielding a finger or thumb upon which the device was worn from the needle when the needle was being placed onto, removed from, or held by the device.
Such a device would benefit the surgeon while performing a task requiring use of both hands, such as tying a suture knot. The device would, for example, allow the needle to be conveniently and securely held out of tile way while the surgeon tied the knot. After tying the knot, the surgeon could conveniently remove the needle from the device and continue another task involving the needle.
Of course, such a device would be advantageous to anyone needing to conveniently and safely hold any type of sewing needle temporarily out of the way, to free up both of their hands to perform a task, and need not be limited to use only by a surgeon.